Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

काश्यां स्वलीलया देवि तिर्यग्योनिजुषामपि । ददामि चांते तत्स्थानं यत्र यांति न याज्ञिकाः

Transliteration

kāśyāṃ svalīlayā devi tiryagyonijuṣāmapi | dadāmi cāṃte tatsthānaṃ yatra yāṃti na yājñikāḥ

Translation

हे देवी, काशीत माझ्या स्वलीलेने मी तिर्यक्-योनीतील (पशुजन्म) जीवांनाही शेवटी असे पद/धाम देतो, जिथे यज्ञकर्म करणारे याज्ञिकही पोहोचत नाहीत.

Word by Word

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (काशी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• sva-līlayā: by (my) own divine play
• sva-līlayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (स्व) + līlā (लीला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—स्वा च सा लीला (one’s own play)

• devi: O Goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (देवी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• tiryag-yoni-juṣām: of those dwelling in animal births
• tiryag-yoni-juṣām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiryak (तिर्यक्) + yoni (योनि) + juṣ (जुष् धातु ‘to enjoy/inhabit’) → juṣ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समूहवाचक (collective sense), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तिर्यग्योनिं जुषन्ति ये (those who inhabit animal wombs)

• api: even / also
• api: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/अपि (also/even)

• dadāmi: I give
• dadāmi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ante: at the end
• ante: Adhikarana/Temporal (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (अन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; अर्थः—अन्ते (at the end)

• tat-sthānam: that abode/place
• tat-sthānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (तद् सर्वनाम) + sthāna (स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत् स्थानम् (that place/state)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (यत्र)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध-प्रश्न/सापेक्ष (relative adverb: where)

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation particle)

• yājñikāḥ: ritualists / sacrificers
• yājñikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñika (याज्ञिक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (addressing Devī/Umā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī (Devī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s compassionate glance over Kāśī: humans and animals alike near ghāṭas/temples, suggesting that even ‘tiryag-yoni’ beings are uplifted by the kṣetra’s grace; a subtle depiction of liberation as light rising upward.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Devī (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s grace transcends social and ritual distinctions; Śiva’s compassion grants the highest end even beyond what mere ritual attainment can secure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Avimukta-kṣetra as the unique place where Śiva bestows exceptional final attainment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the verse contrasts place-based grace with the limits of yajña-focused religiosity.